Alternative Broadcast Project-Radio

Alternative Broadcast Project-Radio

Anchor:Tragedy hit today as a fire in San Jose left a man in grave condition. Luke Billings is live at the scene and joins us with the latest update.

Billings:Thank you Sarah, it is a tragic scene her today at Robert Kents home. A fire started in the kitchen and quickly spread to the attic, leaving Kent with Second and Third degree burns all over his body. The Firefighters rescued him, unconscious, where he was sent to Valley Medical Hospital. 

There is still black smoke encompassing the entire neighborhood, thankfully no other home or person was effected by the fire. The cause of the fire will be put under investigation. 

reporting live in San Jose, Luke Billings, News radio 820 AASP.

Alternative Broadcast Project-Radio

News Story #4-The Car Jacker-Revised

San Mateo-A man tried to steal a car with a new bride still in it.

Saturday night a 21-year-old man, Alan Ticas-Soto, tried to steal a car with a woman still in the passenger seat. According to Sheryl Wilcott a deputy district attorney , the woman and her new husband, whose names were not released,had stopped for a late-night snack at the Taco bell on East Fourth Avenue on their way to their hotel. The groom was still in his Tuxedo and the bride was still in her wedding dress.

The groom had got out of his car a 2003 Nissan Altima, and left the engine running, he did not even get inside the restaurant before Ticas-Soto ran through the parking lot and leaped into the idling car. He had a hard time getting the car into reverse as he fiddled with the gear shift getting the car into the right gear. The police speculate that he was distracted with the frantic screams of the 22-year old bride,who was trying to unbuckle her seat belt and get out.

As soon as the groom realized what was happening he ran to his wife helpingher out of the car. She finally tumbled out, landing in the parking lot. Neither of them were hurt but they were shaken up.

Ticas-Soto proceeded to put the car into a forward gear and promptly smash into a Taco Bell sign. He then leaped out of the car and ran away. Witnesses called the police. Patrolling nearby, police noticed a man matching the suspect's description. He was running southbound on South Delaware Street at Ninth Avenue. Boyle called it in and patrol cars converged on the scene. They caught Ticas-Soto and arrested him without incident. He told police that he'd been taking methamphetamines for three straight days.

Ticas-Soto is now facing felony carjacking charges and misdemeanor drug charges. He is being held in San Mateo County Jail in lieu of a $100,000 bail. No attorney has yet been assigned to his case. Ticas-Soto does not have a criminal record, and he pleaded not guilty in San Mateo Court on Monday. If he is found guilty, Ticas-Soto could face up to nine years in state prison for the carjacking.

Runaway Truck-Revised

El Cerrito- A runaway asphalt truck left a path of destruction and a power outage in its wake in El Cerrito yesterday afternoon.

The 10-wheeler snapped a power pole and badly damaged five vehicles on Moeser Lane before smashing into a house, which subsequently caught on fire. Detective Sgt. Shawn Maples, was one of the first rescue workers to arrive at the scene. He heard cries coming from the burning truck and house, and he started digging through the debris. He spotted the driver lodged between the wheels of the truck, which had flipped on its side. The driver was not able to move because his legs were mangled in the wreckage. Maples, Police Chief Scott Kirkland and Detective Ken Zinc, were able to pull him to safety. Maples said, "We dragged him out in a heartbeat while the truck went up in flames. I just wanted to get him out of there."

A neighbor, Ruben Sharma, was about to head back to work, and came out to his front yard littered with bricks, broken glass  car parts, splintered wood and palm fronds. He said, "I thought it was a major earthquake."

One of the cars that was hit was a Honda sedan that was hit by the truck was so crumpled that the driver was trapped inside. Rescue workers sliced into the car, finding that the driver broke both of his legs. He was listed in serious but stable condition at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek.

Profile-Revised

Anne Bernal went to her optometrist because she thought she needed glasses, she came away from that appointment having been told that she had a brain tumor. She had had extremely bad headaches for over six years."I just thought that they had to do with my menstruation period, I never had time to closer investigate them." Then, last April she started noticing that she was having a hard time focusing when she read. So she went to her local Costco to get her eyes checked. The optometrist on duty after doing simple tests told her that something was very wrong with her. She explained further that Anne did not have any peripheral vision. This could only mean two things: one she was having an aneurism at that very moment, or she had a brain tumor. She immediately went to her primary doctor. Within two weeks of finding out about the cancer, she had to have brain surgery. "It was so hard for my family and I, we had to rethink everything that was normal, my kids are so young, I was so scared for them."  Her family and friends did not even have time to get used to the thought of losing their wife, mom, and friend. The only thing they could do was pray for the best and start taking over her every day tasks. The surgery took place on a Tuesday and she was home from the hospital on Saturday. It was a miracle she was going to have a long recovery but she was going to be fine. Sadly, it was to good to be true, on Sunday evening she had a level 10 headache and was rushed back to the hospital by ambulance.

For the next week Anne was hanging on to her life by a string.  The part of the tumor that was left in her brain was bleeding.  She went into a comatose state because of the degree of pain that she was in. The doctors did not want to go back into her brain fearing what the complications would do to her. Yet, after a week of her almost dying multiple times they rushed her into emergency brain surgery on Friday afternoon.

She was in the ICU for over a month after her surgery. She finally was able to come home to her family but she would never be the same. Because of the second surgery she also had to have three surgeries after that due to the complications. A stint was put in her brain to her abdomen to drain the fluids in her brain; this caused syatica in her left leg, which she now lives with every day.  She then had to have radio surgery to eliminate the last bit of the tumor that they could not get in the operation. Thirdly, she had to have a staple that was in her head removed because it was hurting her.

It has been almost a year and a half since her last surgery. Her face was paralyzed from the second surgery. The tumor was on the left side of her brain, which means that only the right side of her face should be paralyzed, instead her entire face is still paralyzed. Although, some movement has come back she will never smile like she used to. "My husband tells me I still have a beautiful smile, but I disagree."  Her pictures before her surgery show her surrounded bya beautiful family, with a radiant smile. Now, when she smiles her neck looks as if it is straining, her mouth does not turn up anymore, it only forms a straight part in her mouth. She does not like pictures taken of her even though her family and friends insist that she looks great. 

After she was home for a couple of months she started having seizures on a weekly basis.  She also has daily headaches that are nothing like we can imagine, and the medication that she is given makes her feel worse than before and it does not help the pain. Lastly, she is going blind. The tumor was on her optical nerve. She will never drive and she even has to hold on to someone when walking because she still does not have any peripheral vision and she does not want to run into anything. "Sometimes I feel like a child, I am constantly being told I can't do things, that I need to take a nap, and then I have to be lead around like a baby."

You would think that this woman leads a bitter life and yet if you talk to this woman she is just happy that God gave her a few more years to be with her family. "I know I complain sometimes, but I thank God every day that I was able to see my daughter get married, that I can still watch my two sons play football and baseball, and that I can still be there for all those tough adolescent times a young teenage girl will go through, and most importantly I am thankful that I still have time with my husband who is a constant loving support to me." 

The Taste of Morgan Hill-Revised

It was an early Saturday afternoon in Morgan Hill, the sun already beating down onto the asphalt streets. People were milling around some looking relaxed, some with content expressions on their faces, others just looked liked they were having fun with their friends. It was the Taste of Morgan Hill. It has taken place in the streets of downtown Morgan Hill for over 30 years now.  This event is for the vendors, citizens, and outsiders of Morgan Hill. Nina Grimm commented that "It is a fun relaxing time to run into people that you have not seen in a while, and also look at what all of the stores have to offer." The vendors stretch out under the old downtown of Morgan Hill under the shade of the old trees that line the midsection and sidewalks of downtown. A young family walks by the vendors stopping occasionally to see what odds and ends interest them. Their is something for everyone, a jump house for young kids, clothing for the women and cars for the men.

Herb Billings has lived in Morgan Hill for twelve years and has been coming to the Taste of MOrgan Hill for all twelve of those years. He always bring his 1969 GMC/Chevy Cadillac. It is a baby blue color and it is as long as two Honda Civics put together. Billings commented that he, "Loves to come here every year and look at all the other cars in the festival and talk to the other men who enjoy the mechanics of how the mechanics work." This festival brings people together that have an admiration for something old and beautiful.

It is also said that the Taste of Morgan Hill is god for the community. Emily Bailon noted "It allows vendors to advertise, it gets our name out into the Bay Area, it is also a fun and relaxing time for families to get out, and also just something different to do for the weekend." The festival allows certain products that are only produced in Morgan Hill. Their is a certain rock only found in Morgan Hill, it is called the Poppy jasper rock, it a reddish color with orange, yellow, and black streaks running through it. Their is a brewery, El Toro named after the Mountain in Morgan Hill, that has named their beer after that and therefore you can only find Poppy Jasper in Morgan Hill. 

James Grimm said "This festival is a way for organizations to reach out to the community, the citizens are able to be more involved in their community, and the community can grow closer."

Broadcast Style Exercise

Sunday, Arien O’Connell, ran the fastest time in the Nike Women’s Marathon in San Francisco… but she didn’t win.S

O’ Connell knew it was her race when she started that morning, but she did not list herself as an elite runner. Because of this the officials dismissed her case and gave her winning title to an elite runner. Dan Hirsch said, if you’re feeling like you’re going to be a leader, you should be in the elite package. According to O’Connell she feels as if the association is saying it is her fault because she was being modest. Because the association had already declared the winner, O’Connell will not be our Cinderella.

BROADCAST STYLE EXERCISE

NORTHWEST AIRLINES ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT IT IS CUTTING ITS DOMESTIC FARES BY UP TO 40 PERCENT FOR HOLIDAY TRAVELLERS.

 FRANK DEWITT, CEO OF NORTHWEST AIRLINES SAID, WE LIKE TO THINK OF IT AS A HOLIDAY GIFT TO OUR CUSTOMERS.

 TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED BY FRIDAY FOR TRAVEL BETWEEN NOVEMBER 12 AND JANUARY 14 IN THE LOWER 48 STATES, ALASKA AND CANADA.

 DISCOUNTS VARY DEPENDING ON TRAVEL DATES AND ARE NOT AVAILABLE ON CERTAIN POPULAR DAYS, INCLUDDING NOVEMBER 23, NOVEMBER 26, DECEMBER 23 AND December 26.

 WITH THE DISCOUNTED, NON-REFUNDABLE FAIRES, A PASSENGER COULD TRAVEL ROUND-TRIP BETWEEN BOSTON AND SAN FRANCISCO FOR 500 DOLLARS ON CERTAIN DAYS.

News Writing Project #2

The Taste of Morgan Hill was last weekend. It has taken place in the streets of downtown Morgan Hill for over 30 years now.  It is an event for the vendors of the town to show the inhabitants of Morgan Hill and other people who show up to the festival what they are all about.  The main drag of Morgan Hill is Monterey Road. The street form Main Street to Dunne Ave is lined up and down with all of the vendors. It is a fun time to see what is going on with the local stores and also many of the vendors have sales around this time of year.  The vendors are also able to make personal contact with people, which make customers trust the vendor and commit to buying products from that vendor.

There is also a section of the street that is dedicated to all of the families of Morgan Hill who own older cars. Here they get to show them off for admiration, or they can also try and sell them and put them up for sale at the festival.  The scene at the festival was one of excited people, who were there to have fun and see their friends. There was an alcohol station that featured beer that was made in Morgan Hill. It is called Poppy Jasper.  It is brewed in Morgan Hill at a local brewery called El Toro.  They gave out glasses that had a Morgan Hill logo on the back of it.

This is a good festival for Morgan Hill because it is such a small town and although it has been around for a long time it is not very well known. This festival is a way for the town to put their best foot forward and also to get their name out more publicly in throughout the Silicon Valley. It was broadcasted over the radio, in the newspaper and then there was a review about it in the Morgan Hill Times. 

Ap Style Exercise S-Z

1) When he heard the building plan for the new high school had been rejected, Bill pulled out his stationery to write a letter of protest. (2)

2) Ben really knows his Scriptures, but he knows little about the Talmud or the Shariah. (3)

3) Her home in upstate New York is surprisingly ultramodern and unique for its middle-class neighborhood. (4)

4) To celebrate Veterans Day, the anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I, troopes of former soldiers will march down Main street carrying U.S. flags. (3)

5) Word-of-mouth has it that Ellen will wind up with the only “A” in the class. (2)

6) When Sara spotted the Louis L’Amour paperback, she asked whose book it was. She couldn’t believe it was John's; after all, nobody reads Westerns anymore. She had no idea he was such a weirdo. (3)

BONUS:

• The man was arrested for brandishing a 12-gauge shotgun outside his home. (1)

Ap Style Exercise S-Z

1) When he heard the building plan for the new high school had been rejected, Bill pulled out his stationery to write a letter of protest. (2)

2) Ben really knows his Scriptures, but he knows little about the Talmud or the Shariah. (3)

3) Her home in upstate New York is surprisingly ultramodern and unique for its middle-class neighborhood. (4)

4) To celebrate Veterans Day, the anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I, troopes of former soldiers will march down Main street carrying U.S. flags. (3)

5) Word-of-mouth has it that Ellen will wind up with the only “A” in the class. (2)

6) When Sara spotted the Louis L’Amour paperback, she asked whose book it was. She couldn’t believe it was John's; after all, nobody reads Westerns anymore. She had no idea he was such a weirdo. (3)

BONUS:

• The man was arrested for brandishing a 12-gauge shotgun outside his home. (1)

EXERCISE #2: Reporting with Numbers

Please refer to the “Math for Journalists” section in Inside Reporting (Ch. 4, p. 84-85) for the information you will need to complete these exercises. You’ll need to review the segments on calculating percentages and figuring the mean and median (p. 84), as well as the “idea file” bullet points (p. 85) on how to present numbers.

 

1) A local college releases figures showing that its total budget is $120 million. Of that total, $80 million comes from the state, $6 million from student tuition, and the remaining $34 million from fees, grants and gifts. 

 

* Figure the percentage of the college’s budget that comes from each source.

-The state was 33% of the budget

-The Student tuition was 9.5% of the budget

The Fees,grants, and gifts was 71% of the budget

* Identify the significance of each funding source (the most vs. the least, etc.).

* Using plain words, instead of numbers, explain the proportion of funding that comes from different sources. Say it in the way you think would make it most easily understood.

- The local college released figures showing that it’s total budget was 33% from the state, 9.5% from the student tuition, and fees, grants, and gifts comprised the rest of the 71%.

 

2) Your editor assigns you to do a story about prison sentences handed down in cases of aggravated assault. He gives you the following figures from an anti-crime group that is lobbying for tougher sentencing guidelines. The cases represent the people convicted for aggravated assault in San Jose in one month in 2006.

 

* Calculate the average prison term for people convicted of aggravated assault, taking care to convert some of the terms to figures that will compare properly (months vs. years).

-18 months

* Calculate the media prison term for people convicted of aggravated assault.

-1 yer

* Explain why the average or median figure is the most accurate description of prison terms.

- Because everyone has close to or the same term except for one, so the average is bale to show people that the average person is going to get about 18 months in prison.

 

Name        Sentence

Donald Lee    1 year prison, 2 years probation

Richard Smith    1 year prison, 1 year probation

Wesley Mitchell    14 months prison, 1 year probation

Mary Jones    1 year prison, 1 year probation

Juan Rodriguez    1 year prison, 2 years probation

Harold Rothstein    8 months prison, 1 year probation

Michael Reese    7 years prison, 5 years probation

 

3) The state legislature is considering exempting restaurant food sales from the sales tax in the same way grocery sales are exempt.

 

* First, find out the state sales tax.

-.0825

* Then determine and explain how much fast-food patrons who pay $5 per meal would save in a year if they eat out once a week.

-$9.90

* Explain how much people would save if they spend $20 per meal once a week for a year.

-$39.60

AP Style Exercise M-R

1. He hopes to make 1 billion dollars by the time he's 40. Already he figures his net worth is between $2 million and $3 million, depending on current stock prices.

2. Lt. Col. John Carpenter was a Cadet at the U.S. Naval Academy and served in the 7th Fleet.

3. Twenty-one winners were named two days after the third annual procrastination awards ceremony.

4. It was a one-sided game, and he was a poor loser. After losing the play off when his ball went out of bounds, he made an off-color remark that could be heard in the stands.

5. Hundreds of people attended Sunday's race to watch 75 top bicyclists pedal across the finish line.

6. Every winter, the Joneses and the Kinneys pore over travel brochures, planning their summer trip together. This year they're hoping to go to Panama City, Fla.

Top News #6-Space Invaders: Brazilian Villagers Launch Protests of Rocket Base

A Brazilian tribe is being disturbed by scientists who want to build a rocket base near their village. According to The Wall Street Journal they are a 200 year old tribe that has lived among the stone ruins of the plantations, farmed communally, played drums, and revered spirits in the wilderness. 

The impact of this story does not seem very great for the front page, and yet the bizarreness of the article is definitely there. The news story does have conflict because the tribe did not want the scientists to build their station there. This story is current although it is not in our country it does effect us. It was our scientists that wanted to build that launch which would have furthered technology and research. Therefore that it is why this article has an impact on our lives. Even if it does not directly effect us.

Profile

Imagine going to the doctor one day because you thought you needed glasses, and being told that you have a brain tumor. This is what happened last year to 44-year-old Anne Bernal.  She had extremely bad headaches for over six years. She always dismissed them as menstrual headaches, because she only noticed them around that time.  Last April she was noticing that she was having a hard time focusing when she read. So she went to her local Costco to get her eyes checked. The optometrist on duty after doing simple tests told her that something was very wrong with her. She explained further that Anne did not have any peripheral vision. This could only mean two things: one she was having an aneurism at that very moment, or she had a brain tumor. She immediately went to her primary doctor. Within two weeks of finding out about the cancer, she had brain surgery.  Her family and friends did not even have time to get used to the thought of losing their wife, mom, and friend. The only thing they could do was pray for the best and start taking over her every day tasks. The surgery took place on a Tuesday and she was home from the hospital on Saturday. It was a miracle she was going to have a long recovery but she was going to be fine. It was to good to be true, on Sunday evening she had a very bad headache and was rushed back to the hospital by ambulance.

For the next week Anne was hanging on to her life by a string.  The part of the tumor that was left in her brain was bleeding.  She went into a comatose state because of the degree of pain that she was in. The doctors did not want to go back into her brain fearing what the complications would do to her. Yet, after a week of her almost dying multiple times they rushed her into emergency brain surgery on Friday afternoon.

She was in the ICU for over a month after her surgery. She finally was able to come home to her family but she would never be the same. Because of the second surgery she also had to have three surgeries after that due to the complications. A stint was put in her brain to her abdomen to drain the fluids in her brain; this caused syatica in her left leg, which she now lives with every day. She then had to have radio surgery to eliminate the last bit of the tumor that they could not get in the operation. Thirdly, she had to have a staple that was in her head removed because it was hurting her.

It has been almost a year and a half since her last surgery. Her face was paralyzed from the second surgery. The tumor was on the left side of her brain, which means that only the right side of her face should be paralyzed, instead her entire face is still paralyzed. Although, some movement has come back she will never smile like she used to.  After she was home for a couple of months she started having seizures on a weekly basis.  She also has daily headaches that are nothing like we can imagine, and the medication that she is given makes her feel worse than before and it does not help the pain. Lastly, she is going blind. The tumor was on her optical nerve. She will never drive and she even has to hold on to someone when walking because she still does not have any peripheral vision and she does not want to run into anything.

You would think that this woman leads a miserable life and yet if you talk to this woman she is just happy that God gave her a few more years to be with her family.  When I asked her if she was bitter she told me that she was able to attend her daughters wedding. She never complains and she always has a smile on her face. Anne Bernal is an inspiration to the every day person.